February 9, 2021: School, municipal, and special elections

This coming Tuesday, February 9, 2021, Oklahoma voters will vote in school board primaries, some municipal primaries, school bond issues, and special elections.

Early voting will be available tomorrow, Thursday, February 4, and Friday, February 5, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Because there are no state or federal offices on the ballot, there won't be any early voting hours on Saturday. Early voting sites are typically at the county election board, which is the case in Tulsa and surrounding counties, but there are a few exceptions.

Tulsa County Republican voters will choose a new County Treasurer to replace Dennis Semler, who retired last fall. (One Democrat filed for the seat, but withdrew, so the winner of the two-man primary will be elected.)

School board seats will only be on this Tuesday's non-partisan primary ballot if three or more candidates filed for the office. Seats that drew only two candidates will be on the April 6 general election ballot, along with any runoffs from this Tuesday. In Tulsa County, there are primaries for Tulsa Schools Office 2, and Collinsville and Owasso Office 1. Tulsa Tech Center Office 6 has a two-candidate election -- Tech Centers weren't included in the legislation that moved two-candidate elections to the general.

Jenks Public Schools patrons will vote on two bond issues, and there is a two-man race for Owasso Ward 2 councilor.

Here are some links and info about the candidates:

Tulsa County Treasurer:

• John M. Fothergill (R), 47, Sand Springs. (Registered to vote as John Marion Fothergill.) Served as Tulsa City Council Director of Constituent Services, chief deputy to Democrat County Commissioner Karen Keith, chief deputy to Republican County Treasurer Dennis Semler. Became acting County Treasurer after Semler's resignation last fall. Website. Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile. LinkedIn profile.
• Francis Joseph Hart III (R), 39, Broken Arrow. Better known as Joe Hart. Active as a volunteer for Republican candidates and the county GOP. Website. Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile. Photography business website. Photography business Facebook page. LinkedIn profile.

On February 1, 2021, Tulsa 912 Project held a forum for the candidates for Tulsa County Treasurer.

Tulsa Public Schools, Board Member - Office No. 2:

• Marsha Francine Campbell (D), 65. Campaign Facebook group. Personal Facebook profile. Earlier Facebook profile. Still earlier Facebook profile. LinkedIn profile.
• Theresa Hinman (D), 52. (Registered to vote as Theresa Marie Hinman.) Twitter account. Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile. Business Facebook page. LinkedIn profile. TalkJive.org intervew
• Judith Barba (D), 30. (Registered to vote as Judith Barba Perez.) Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile.

On February 2, 2021, Tulsa Classroom Teachers' Association held a forum for
candidates for Office 2, on Tuesday's ballot, and Office 3, which will not be on the ballot until April.

City Of Owasso, Council Member, Ward 2:

• Alvin D. Fruga (R), 58. (Registered as Alvin Darryl Fruga.) Campaign website. Campaign Facebook page. Personal ministry website. Church website. Personal Facebook profile. Personal Twitter account. LinkedIn profile.
• Kyle Davis (R), 39. (Registered as Kyle Andrew Davis.) Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile. LinkedIn profile.

Incumbent Owasso City Councilor Chris Kelley is not running for re-election.

Collinsville Public Schools, Board Member, Office No. 1:

• James R. Roderick (R), 62. (Registered as James Randall Roderick.) Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile. LinkedIn profile. Archived business website. Archived consulting website.
• Tim Reed (R), 63. (Registered as Timothy N. Reed.) Incumbent since 2013. Campaign Facebook page. LinkedIn profile.
• Ryan Flanary (R), 40. (Registered as Ryan Dean Flanary.) Personal Facebook profile. Business website.

Owasso Public Schools, Board Member, Office No. 1:

• Rick Lang (I), 42. (Registered as Richard Joseph Lang.) Campaign Twitter account. Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook page.
• Kristin Vivar (R), 42. (Registered as Kristin A. Vivar.) Campaign website. Campaign Facebook Page. Personal Facebook profile.
• Lisa M. Anderson (R), 48. (Registered as Lisa Marie Anderson.) Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook page.
• Lynn Cagle (D), 70. (Registered as Marguerita Lynn Cagle.) Campaign Facebook page.
• Stephanie Ruttman (D), 42. (Registered as Stephanie Kenkaye Ruttman.) Campaign website. Campaign Facebook page. Personal Facebook profile.

Incumbent school board member Pat Vanatta is not running for re-election. More information on this race from Owasso Chapter of Parent Voice Oklahoma, Compilation of Owasso School Board Candidates, and Owasso Rams Hand in Hand.

Tulsa Technology Center, Board Member, Office No. 6:

• Paul J. Kroutter, Jr. (R), 67. (Registered as Paul Joseph Kroutter, Jr.) Held the seat from 2004-2014. Archived board member page. Personal Facebook profile. Faculty page at University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. LinkedIn profile.
• Sharon A. Whelpley (R), 76. (Registered as Sharon Ann Whelpley.) Incumbent, first elected 2014. Board member page. Personal Facebook profile.

Jenks Public Schools bond issues:

• Proposition No. 1: $15,060,000 general obligation bond issue for school facilities.
• Proposition No. 2: $1,045,000 general obligation bond issue for transportation equipment.

Here is a PDF sample ballot for the Jenks Public Schools bond issues, and the disclosure of currently outstanding Jenks Public Schools bond issues required by the Bond Transparency Act. Jenks currently has five outstanding general obligation bond issues, with $96,885,000 in outstanding principal, and another $97,100,000 in "unissued building bonds authorized at an election held on the 10th day of February 2015." (Original link to BTA disclosure on JPS website.)